TAHRAN - Husnu Yusuf Gokalp, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, currently in Iran on an official visit, met with Iranian Agriculture Jihad Minister Mahmud Hojati on Saturday.
Speaking at a meeting held with the participation of the delegations of the two countries, Gokalp said Turkey attributed great importance to the development of relations.
Recalling that Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, speaking during the visit of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to this country in June, said, ''Turkey's security is the security of Iran, and Iran's security is the security of Turkey,'' Gokalp said, ''we are considering relations with Iran from this point of view. Being the two neighboring Islam countries, we should improve cooperation in every field, however bilateral relations in agriculture has not improved well. We attribute great importance to the improvement of relations and we exert efforts in this respect.''
Gokalp said he hoped the two countries would sign technological, scientific and economic cooperation agreement in agriculture, stressing that Agriculture Enforcement Committees should be established reciprocally after this. Stressing that efforts in this respect would be initiatied on the issue, Gokalp said intense efforts were exerted on animal and animal products and animal smuggling between the two countries.
Gokalp said the Turkish producers are pleased that animal smuggling from Iran to Turkey was prevented.
Gokalp said the two countries should together carry out efforts in all fields of agriculture, and particularly on plant and animal health, stressing that the two countries should also exchange experts.
Gokalp said joint searches regarding fishing and viticulture would be beneficial, adding that public and private sectors were needed to work together and pay reciprocal visits.
Gokalp said that Turkey and Iran should support each other in markets of third countries instead of being rivals and noted that this would be beneficial for the two countries.
Noting that the two countries could cooperate in milk industry, Gokalp stated that Turkey imported kiwi, garlic, date and similar products from Iran while Turkey could export wheat, sugar, rice and barley to Iran.
Gokalp pointed out that Turkey attributed great importance to reconstruction of Afghanistan after the war ended in that country and was a pioneer in many fields. Turkey was pleased with efforts of Iran in that country, he said.
Lands of Afghan people should be cultivated, animals should be bred and people of that country should be fed, Gokalp noted.
Gokalp said that they worked on projects on cereal production in dry places in Afghanistan, artificial insemination to develop Afghan animal breeding, formation of animal breeding units and development of cattle breeding.
Hashish production in Afghanistan should be taken under international control, Gokalp pointed out.
Gokalp stated that alternative products should be offered to Afghan farmers.
Economic Cooperation Ogranization (ECO) had to play an efficient role in Afghanistan, Gokalp said.
Gokalp noted that 1.2 billion U.S. dollars of trade volume between Turkey and Iran was low and stressed that this volume had to be increased.
Agriculture Minister Gokalp invited Hojati to Turkey.
Hojati said that Iran was ready to have agricultural cooperation with Turkey and hoped that agriculture would be attributed importance at ECO summit to be held in Turkey soon.
They could cooperate in agricultural products with Turkey, especially in olive, hazelnut, tea and sea products, Hojati noted.
Hojati hoped that Iran and Turkey could cooperate in reconstruction of Afghanistan and cultivation of products alternative to hashish in that country.
Gokalp, Hojati and Afghan Agriculture Minister Hussein Enveri later had a luncheon.
Agriculture Minister Gokalp and the accompanying delegation will visit an olive farm in south of capital Tehran in the afternoon.